Adjustable brace.



No. 779,298. PATENTED JAN. 8. 1905. A. S. MILLER.

ADJUSTABLE BRACE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 8. 1904.

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I MEI/TOR v I 7 All/n2 Id?! 011/10 I By manure UNITED] STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN SIDNEY MILLER, OF MONROE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO GODWIN OOTTEN MOORE AND ALLAN SHOLARS, OF

MONROE, LOUISIANA.

ADJUSTABLE BRACE- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,298, dated January 3, 1905.

' Application filed April 8, 1904. Serial No. 202,188.

To a whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN SIDNEY MILLER, residing at Monroe, in the parish of Ouachita and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable Brace, of which the following is a specification.

I My present invention relates to improvements in that class of braces used for trussing and bracing purposes in building and bridge construction, and it comprehends, generally, an improved construction of brace in which the several parts are cooperatively designed and have such correlation whereby to effect a uniform and positive equalization of the pressure or strain of the structure braced or sustained thereby and in which the strain is so transmitted as to provide, as it were, a center bearing.

In its more complete nature my present invention embodies an improved construction of brace capable of being readily applied at any'portion of a building or bridge construction in which a truss or diagonal brace is applicable and in which the parts have such connection as to be readily adjustable to any angle, to the varied lengths, and to take up the usual contraction and expansion.

In its more subordinate features my present invention embodies a special cooperative arrangement of parts that can be reversibly attached without tenon or mortise connections and in which the brace-pressure can be readily shifted from an endwise to a sidewise direction, certain other details of construction being also embodied, all of which will be hereinat'ter fully described and explained, specifically pointed outin the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an adjustable brace mechanism which embodies my invention, the parts being set to impart pressure in the direction indicated by the arrow a. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the crosshead or movable bar adjusted to another position to impart pressure in the direction of the arrow 6. Fig.. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, parts being adjusted to impart a strain or pressure in the direction of the arrow 0, the direction of movement of the two turn heads or buckles being indicated by the arrows 3 3. Fig. A is a similar view showing the parts adjusted to effect a pressure or strain in the direction of the arrow (Z, the direction of movement of the turnbuckles being indicated by the arrows 4: 4. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing one of the metal bracket members that receive the heads or fulcrumed bearings of the adjustably and removably held expansible brace-rods. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the fulcrumed heads of the said bars or rods detached.

In the drawings I haveshown asimple form of framing composed of the end posts a (1, base-sill a, and a cross-head or lintel-bar c but I desire it understood that the exact arrangement of the framing shown is not a required form, as the metallic braces presently described are adapted for use in all types of house and bridge constructions where diagonal or truss braces are usually employed.

My present construction of brace consists, essentially, of a number of metal brackets or castings D and a number of expansible and adjustable brace-rods, a pair of brackets being used in connection with each brace-rod, one bracket for each one of the rods. The brackets D are all of a like construction, whereby they can be interchanged and reversely used; but each bracket D includes a flat base (Z, apertured, as at cl (Z', to receive the screw-bolts c c for securing the said brackets to the partition-posts, the lintels, or the vertical and cross beams, and at points between the aperture (Z the castings or brackets D have integral outwardly-projected ears d apertured, as at (Z to .receive the pivotbolts f, that hold the heads f of the threaded shanks f of the brace rods orbars F, and the said castings D also include slot portions (Z2 that extend across the joint with the ears (Z and each have semicircular transverselydisposed sockets (Z to receive the semicircular ends f of the heads f and which form bearings for the said heads f, which heads are held to their fulcrumed or bearing points by the bolts f, that pass through the aper tured ears (Z and the apertures f of the heads f, as shown.

In assembling my present form of brace I attach a pair of the brackets or castings D to the undersideof the adjustable cross-bar M, at a point centrally thereof, and to each of the ve-r tical beams is secured a casting D. To each of the castings D on the cross-bar M is connected a threaded shank F, the head f" of which is held to engage the fulcrumed socket in the said castings, and in each of the castings D, secured on the side of the vertical beams, is fitted a second threaded shank F, and the two shanks F F at each side of the brace-frame are disposed diagonally with respect to each other, but with their threaded ends adjacent and in the same diagonal plane. Each pair of threaded shanks is joined by an expansible member in the nature of a hollow sleeve G, internally threaded at the upper and lower ends, as at g g, which sleeves form, as it were, the turnbuckles or means for differentially or uniformly adjusting the pressure on the several brackets or castings D and to the parts of the main or superstructure to which they may be applied.

So far as described it is apparent that should my form of brace be utilized to take up the strain transmitted from above directly on the cross-bar or lintel M the strain is at the point where the two side braces pivotally connect with the cross-bar M, and from whence the strain is uniformly deflected in a lateral, diagonal, and downward direction, and is thereby transmitted to the side beams.

To increase the pressure against the crossbar from below and to cause the brace to act as a jack, it is only necessary to turn the two opposing sleeves Gr in opposite directions, (see arrow 3,) which lengthens the rods, and thereby thrusts the cross-bar to exertincrease pressure upward, it being understood that irrespective of the lengthening or shortening of the brace-bars the strain on the cross-bar or lintel is central and is transmitted diagonally and in a uniform degree to the side beams or studs.

To increase the brace or pressure action of the cross-bar laterallysay in the direction indicated in Fig. l it is only necessary to shorten the bar or rod at that side to which it is desired to shift or thrust the cross head or bar and to correspondingly lengthen the rod or brace-bar at the opposite side, the reverse adjustment of the brace mentioned being necessary to shift or thrust the strain on the cross head or bar in the opposite direction. To increase or diminish the upthrust of the cross bar, it is only necessary to lengthen or shorten the brace-rods.

It will be seen that my invention readily adapts itself for whenever or wherever a brace may be used either in bridge construc- 5 tion or in building construction or the like and may be used either for shoring up walls or supporting parts from above.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed the complete operation, advantages, and construction of my present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An adjustable brace for the purposes described, which comprises a movable cross bar or head, a pair of oppositelydisposed rods pivotally connected to the said bar at one end, a pair of oppositely-disposed brackets fixedly secured, with which the free ends of the bracebars are pivotally connected, and a means that cooperates with each brace-bar for adjusting the length of the rods, to move said cross bar or head from one position to another for the purposes specified.

2. A brace of the character described, which comprises a pair of o iipositely-disposed fixedly-held brackets, a movable bar or cross head, a pair of brackets secured thereto and disposed midway of the fixedly-held brackets and in vertical alinement therewith; a pair of diagonally-held cross-rods, one for each pair of diagonally disposed brackets, and means for adjusting the length of the said bars in unison or independently for the purposes specified,

3. In a brace construction of the character described, the combination with the fixedlyheld oppositely-disposed side timbers and the cross head or bar movable in a vertical and in a horizontal plane between the said timbers; of a bracket secured toeach side timber, said brackets being oppositely disposed, another pair of like brackets secured upon the under side of the cross head or bar at a point midway the side brackets, an extensible rod connection for each adjacent pair of diagonallydisposed brackets, the ends of the said rods having pivotal connection with the said brackets, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

4. The combination with the pair of oppositely-disposed uprights and cross-bar adjustably held between the said uprights for movement in a vertical and a horizontal plane; of a pair of oppositely diagonally disposed bracebars, one of the said bars being pivotally secured to the bracket on one side timber, the other bar being pivotally secured to the bracket on the other side timber, the free ends of the two bars being connected to the under side of the cross-bar at a point midway their other pivotal connection with the side timbers, and a means for adjusting the length of the said bars in unison or independently, as set forth.

5. In an adjustable-brace construction of the character described, the combination with the pair of oppositely-disposed side bearings, a

bracket fixedly connected to each side bar, a cross bar or head, apair of brackets fixedly secured to the said cross bar or head at a point midway of the side brackets, each of the said brackets including a transverse concaved seat and apertured ears; of a brace-bar for each set of diagonally-disposed brackets, each bar having an apertured head at each end adapted to fit the concaved seats in the brackets, a pivotbolt connection for engaging each head and I the apertured ears of the brackets, and a means for adjusting the length of the brace-bars, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

6. The combination with the side uprights and the cross bar adjustably held therebetween, of a pair of brackets secured upon the under side of the cross-bar midway thereof, a

bracket secured upon each of the uprights, each of the said brackets having a transverse concaved seat and apertured ears, and an eX- tensible bar for each set of diagonally-disposed cross-bars and upright brackets, said bar comprising a shank at each end having a circular apertured head, the heads of the threaded shanks being arranged to engage the concaved seats in the brackets a pivot-bolt connecting the heads with the apertured ears of the said brackets and sleeves internally threaded at the opposite ends for engaging the threaded ends of the shanks, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes specified.

ALVIN SIDNEY MILLER. Witnesses:

W. N. RAMs-Er, N. McOLENDoN. 

